Rattlers continue trend of hot hitting, win 7-3

Before it started, Belleview's softball game Tuesday against state-ranked Hernando and ace pitcher Courtney Riddle (16-5, 1.10 ERA) had the look of a pitchers' duel.

By Andy MarksStaff writer

Before it started, Belleview's softball game Tuesday against state-ranked Hernando and ace pitcher Courtney Riddle (16-5, 1.10 ERA) had the look of a pitchers' duel.

It was far from it.

The Rattlers lit up Riddle and the visiting Leopards for 14 total hits, scoring a 7-3 non-district win in a battle of Class 5A contenders.

Belleview, ranked No. 8, continued its recent trend of hot hitting, having scored 37 runs over the past five games — four of those games against ranked teams.

Offense "has been a work in progress," Belleview coach Gary Greer said. "We scratched what we were doing last year and some of the girls are buying into it. As long as it starts clicking little by little, we're going to have the offense we didn't have last year. Last year we hit .260 as a team and now we're hitting about .300, which is good against good competition."

The Rattlers, the defending 5A state runners-up, got 4-for-4 performances from both Rachel Knowles and Alex Suzuki against No. 10 Hernando, while Kelly Bennett and Alexis Day each finished 2-for-4.

The offensive fireworks added up to an easy night for Rattler ace Brooke Hale (16-6), who was handed a 3-0 lead early and sailed to a complete-game win.

Hale, a senior, also noted an improvement in her team's offense over the past week.

"It started at Doc4Life and it's been getting better from there," said Hale, who finished with a six-hitter and five strikeouts. "Hopefully, it keeps on going."

Hale had only one tough inning, the third, when Hernando's Megan Lane ripped a two-run triple to the center field fence as part of a three-run rally.

The Rattlers' lead was suddenly just 5-3, but Hale retired eight of the next nine batters and then Belleview erupted again in the sixth.

Day started the rally with an infield single, stole second, then scored on Knowles' single to right. Knowles took third on Suzuki's single to left, then scored the final run of the game on Bennett's groundout.